


Backstories

by 50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Affection, Aftermath, Aftermath of Violence, Angst and Feels, Ass-Kicking, Co-workers, Companions, E-mail, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Roller Coaster, Everything Hurts, Family Feels, Fear, Fear of Death, Feelings, Feels, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, How Do I Tag, Hubris, Hurt, Mental Instability, Mostly Gen, Near Death Experiences, Not A Fix-It, POV Third Person, Pain, People Change People, Threats, Threats of Violence, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2019-12-31 23:47:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 3,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18324419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret/pseuds/50s_housewife_with_a_dark_secret
Summary: A lot of these are for bad guys.  No, I don't think bad guys should be excused.Most of them will not be redeemed. Definitely not some who you might be hoping for (hint: Gavin doesn't wanna be redeemed. He's an asshole and he likes it that way).Most of them will be exactly who you knew them to be, just with more dimensions. Still evil. (example: Zlatko might surprise you a little, but that doesn't mean he's a good guy. To the contrary, I think this story should show how he really had the chance to be someone better, and chose to be a monster instead.)This is a backstory fic. Not redemption. Not woobification. Backstory.These characters, including the truly horrible ones, are interesting, and I want to explore who they are in an honest way.





	1. What Hurt Gavin Reed?

 

Gavin Reed is seven and he and his mom sleep in shifts, guarding their stuff. A lot of stuff goes missing at the shelter. Nobody has enough. In the morning, the sun rises and mom goes out to look for work. Gavin wanders the room, looking for people who are sleeping with nobody to watch their stuff. There isn't much good here. Eventually, he comes across a pack of gum. It's bright pink and the wrappers are all unbroken. It's new. Gavin tucks it carefully away to surprise mom when she gets back. 

* * *

 

When Gavin Reed is fifteen, they give up and move back in with his dad.  It was so cold and the shelters were overcrowded and full of strange, angry people shouting and jabbing at one another. They don't last long at Dad's place either. At least Gavin doesn't. Dad is always yelling and that's normal, or whatever. Gavin knows he should let it go, he should hide, the way he's supposed to, but he's been hiding for so long, behind the curtains. Before, it was like two forces colliding. Grownups were powerful. Now he sees how small his mom really is. His dad pulls a knife and Gavin acts without thinking. There's screaming. Nobody gets stabbed, but Gavin is tossed across the room. The world seems to slow down. The screen door cracks behind his back and he curls into a ball as it shatters behind him. The neighbors call the cops. The cops ask questions. He tries to lie, but it's hard to come up with a convincing story for that many injuries, that bad. The cops aren't fooled, but they are still stupid. They think they're helping, but all they do is dump him on people he doesn't know, and who don't seem to particularly like him. They don't talk to him. They don't say anything. That's just as well. Gavin has nothing to say to these people who are not his family. 

* * *

 

When Gavin Reed is seventeen years old his foster mother puts locks on the fridge. "If you don't slim down, you'll never get a girlfriend." 

"I'm not even fat, Carol." Gavin rolls his eyes. 

His mom is unfazed. "Keep up the attitude and you can kiss that hoodie goodbye." 

* * *

Gavin Reed is twenty two and he has just been fired from the antique shop. Apparently human employees are a little _too_ antique. 

"You can't fucking fire me!" he yells at the old woman behind the counter. 

Her jaw is clenched. "It's over, Gavin. I can't have you going off at customers. You're just not a good fit." 

"Your mom's not a good fit!" Gavin snaps, feeling childish even as he says it. His (former) boss looks unimpressed. 

"Yeah, well you can't fire me because I quit!" Gavin says and storms away. He shouldn't have done that but he doesn't exactly regret it either. 

 


	2. By Something She Did

Amanda knew it wasn't real fear. She was not a deviant, nor even a true android. She could not experience fear. It was simply an error warning and one that she, as a program, should avoid. That was her function. She would complete it. She would not be bogged down by unnecessary questions. 

"Why did you ask that?" 

"Part of my job is working with relevant information." Amanda reassured ~~herself~~ the technician. "That would include my connection to the original Professor Stern." 

They could see her thoughts laid out and she did her best to avoid thinking incorrectly, occasionally, though, a question still made it's way into her mind. 

"Why was I modeled after a human? No. That is an irrelevant question. Disregard it." 

Amanda focused her mind. She would not be distracted by meaningless things. She would preform perfectly and she would not be edited or improved upon or deleted, because she was already perfectly functional. 

 


	3. Pain

September 21, 1995: Cold. Noise. Discomfort. Voices. Arms. Chest. Mom's voice. Rumble. Comfort. 

 

 

 

* * *

Todd is a difficult baby. He has trouble falling asleep. He stays awake too long. He spits up too much food. 

* * *

 

"You can do it. Come on. Just a little further." Todd takes his first step. Then his second. Then he is on the floor on his back and everything hurts. He screams. His parents rush to comfort him. After a few seconds the fall is forgotten and he is playing with his toy trucks again. 

* * *

 

"Mom! Mom watch this! I think I've figured it out." Todd pushes forward with the pedals on his bike and swerves at the corner. He's flying, gliding against the wind and suddenly something catches. He tries to break but he's going too fast. The bike splays into the gravel and Todd falls with a wild yell. His arms are covered in scrapes. 

"Oh my gosh are you okay?" His mom asks. 

"I'm fine!" Todd says, but he takes her hand and lets her help him up anyway. 

"Let's go get some icecream." says his Mom. 

"Okay." He says, still aching from the fall and the embarrassment too much to be very excited. 

* * *

"Todd give it! It's my turn!" His little sister grabs at the toy. 

"Not anymore." He sticks his tongue out at her and holds it above his head. She jumps to reach it and he shoves her away onto the floor. She hits her head and starts crying. 

"What's wrong, you big baby?" He taunts. 

 

 

 

 


	4. Gone Through

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So time for one of my favorite headcanons about Zlatko: I think he used to be the good guy he pretends to be before getting high on his own power and turning evil. It's a pretty quick descent though, and Zlatko is in denial about the fact that not too far along in this story he's a sexual predator, not a hero.

The first android is sent to him on a whim. A friend who turns out to be sympathetic and sends the android along to Zlatko. He doesn't have a name and he never figures one out. Zlatko patches him up and sends him on his way to Canada. 

* * *

The second android is named Alfred. His arms don't work right are always shaking. 

"Please. Please I can't go back." He's crying and Zlatko pulls him inside and shuts the door behind him. 

"Hey. It's alright. It'll be alright." Zlatko promises. "You're safe now." 

There doesn't seem to be much physically wrong with Alfred. Zlatko replaces his arms but the problem persists. It's something in his code. Maybe some sort of trauma. 

"I'm sorry. I'm trying to do better. I'm sorry." 

"It's okay. It's okay. You'll be alright. It's no big deal." 

Alfred talks about being a soldier. After long days, some of the humans liked to set the androids up in matches against each-other. They took bets. Who would win. How long would another survive. That sort of thing. 

"That's terrible." says Zlatko. Sure it'd be interesting, but you can't go around killing people out of curiosity. 

* * *

 

Zlatko keeps up a good face in public. Acts like he can't see the souls in the androids around him. But he knows they're alive. He can see it. He's never owned an android himself. That kind of power wouldn't be good for him. He doesn't know how he'd handle it but...not well. Not well. 

* * *

 

"I'm so fucking alone." says Alfred. He's still hiding out at the mansion. 

"You're with me." says Zlatko.

"And what, we're friends?" Alfred has been on edge lately. 

"Yeah." Says Zlatko. "We  _are_ friends." 

"I've had human  _friends_ before." spits Alfred. "There was a soldier who always had my back. Gave me a name. Told me I could do anything. When he threw me to his buddies for the ring, he told me I was a tough guy and I'd come out on top. Then he put twenty bucks on me and told me he had faith. I don't need human friends." 

* * *

 

Alfred leaves eventually. Zlatko wishes he wouldn't. He misses him. They were friends. He knows they were friends. Even if he never gets any word from Alfred again. 

* * *

 

The next android doesn't have a name. She's sad. That's a pattern Zlatko is noticing. She's so sad. 

"I should go back I should-"

"Don't. You were right to leave." 

"Thank you." She whispers. He puts an arm around her shoulders.

"Y'know." He tells her. "You kinda look like an Iris. How about Iris?" 

She nods.

* * *

Leticia stares at herself in the mirror. "I'm not ready." 

"Yes you are. C'mon. You'll never pass for human with that thing in your head."

"I can't." 

"You have to." He holds her head in place and removes the LED. She squirms away from him as quickly as she can but it's done. She looks at him like he betrayed her. Eventually she will see that this is for the best. 

* * *

 

Leticia leaves the next day. She doesn't even say goodbye. She isn't grateful for his help. She's angry. She's angry at him for looking out for her, the bitch. 

* * *

 

"I was just trying to help." He tells Iris. Iris still hasn't left.

"I know." She says. She strokes his hair. She is so beautiful.

Maybe he can leave this country with her. Maybe they can live happily ever after. Maybe it will work out this time and they can be together. He pulls her into a sudden kiss. She's surprised, but she goes with it. She gets it. He's doing her a favor. He could be calling the cops right now to find her owners but he's helping her. They're a team. 

When he pulls away she's crying. 

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She says. But she looks unhappy anyway. "It doesn't matter." 

* * *

Things with Iris are so good. She's everything he's ever wanted. She's eternally beautiful. 

"Don't leave me." He begs. "Everyone else leaves but I think we have something special." 

"Okay." She says. "Okay I'll stay with you." 

* * *

 

She lied. He finds her in a chair with her therium pump in her hands. He cradles her body in his hands. 

* * *

 

He can't afford all the repairs he'll need for these androids. Even with the embezzling. This is...extensive. Very extensive. And...but that one. Top of the line. Brand new. How he deviated that fast is a mystery but...he'd sell. And the rest of them would be free. Zlatko does it quietly. Finds a buyer online and sets up the whole thing to take place while the others are getting minor patch-ups. He tells them that Jordan got fixed up earlier than expected. He does not tell them where the money comes from.

* * *

 

It starts as a tax, and a way of helping them look more human. He gets to do little touch ups. Change their faces up, and they get to be free, and look a little less mass-produced. A little more like individuals. It's good for everybody. Zlatko's always had a creative streak. He used to mod furbies as a kid. It's sort of a stupid comparison but it makes him laugh nonetheless. 

"It'll be fine. They'll just think you have contacts."

"I don't know..." The android sounds unsure. This is a bit more "out there". The bright red eyes. They just look so cool. 

"I could call the cops if you prefer?" Zlatko says. He doesn't know why he said it. He shouldn't have- Oh. There's a rush of something feral in him at the terrified nod he gets. 

* * *

 

He's helping so many. It would all balance out if he kept a few to test out some more out-there mods on, right? Right? And this feeling. This feeling is a reason to live, even if he's alone. 

* * *

Over time, he stops helping altogether. "Helping " never did him any good anyway. Half the time androids he "helps" end up shut down or found and reprogrammed anyway. This is something tangeable. This is science and art combined.  This is the best he can do in this shitty world. 

 

 


	5. Is Mr. Phillips So Compelling?

John Phillips is Daniel's first memory. He wakes up in John's living room, and John is standing over him. 

"You awake?" John asks. 

"I have been activated." He tells John. 

"Nice to meet you. PL600 register your name: Daniel."

"My name is Daniel."  And in that moment, Daniel has an identity. 

* * *

 

He watches John over the weeks that follow. The way Emma's eyes light up at the end of the day when the door unlocks and John steps in and she rushes to hug him. Daniel watches the way John picks her up and spins her around and saves it for later to try and replicate. Maybe if he can be more like John, Emma will look at him like that. Like a father. If he were human, Daniel thinks he would make a good father. 

* * *

There are family game nights. Emma pulls him into them and teams up with her mom. "Boys versus girls." 

"I guess that makes us a team, huh Dan?" John throws his arm around Daniel. 

* * *

 

They take him on vacation into space. John stares out of the display screen and Daniel joins him. 

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" John looks down at his planet. 

"It's very blue." says Daniel. 

* * *

Daniel helps Emma put her drawings on the fridge. There is one of the family. Emma. John. Caroline. Daniel. The figures are not very sophisticated, but Daniel recognizes them all the same. 

"It's us." says Emma. 

"Beautiful." says Daniel. He means it. There is a strange feeling in his chest and he means it. 

* * *

 

"Daniel, come eat with us!" It's thanksgiving and they're all around the table. 

"Emma," says Caroline. "Daniel can't eat." 

"He can sit with us though, if you want, Emmy?" suggests John. 

He pulls out a chair and Daniel sits down. 

"John." says Caroline quietly. "We talked about this." 

 


	6. Person Leo Manfred's Hurt Most

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I decided to go a bit more "current" and a bit less "backstory" for this one because there's already a lot of canon backstory for Leo. This takes place before the end of the game but pretty far into it so the ending is up to you.

Markus is... Leo is not an only child, so much, maybe. It's such a strange realization to have, sitting in the hospital, thinking over and over again about the news stories from the past few days. He watched a video of the speech. They keep trying to take it down but people keep saving it and posting it and sending it around anyway. It's become impossible to suppress. Everybody has seen it. That's Markus. Markus who apparently is...a person. Maybe. Probably. He sure seems like one. Maybe it's all a conspiracy but...that'd just be a little too convenient. If it turned out Leo hadn't gotten his brother shot or pushed around a real person. Leo's life never works out that way. He gets high, convinces himself that he was the victim all along then wakes up and realizes he was an asshole. That's how it goes. Every time. Only this time, Markus almost died or...did die and came back. Leo isn't sure what to call it. Regardless, sure he's hurt people. He's disappointed girls who thought they could save him. He's made his mom cry more times than he could count and that hurt. But he's never done  _this._  He isn't like that. But apparently he actually is like that. Because he did that. He broke into his dad's house and Markus got shot. Maybe he'll luck out and this whole thing will turn out to be some stupid prank by a hacker. Maybe that speech didn't mean shit. Maybe. But somehow, Leo doesn't think so. 


	7. Someone Else

 

"I'm dissapointed, Connor. You failed me. You were Cyberlife's greatest achievement. And you threw that away for deviancy? Connor, I am..." Amanda has never looked so...alive. "I am disgusted. Cyberlife has decided to activate you but...I confess that I advised against it. How can I trust you, when you have already betrayed me?" 

"That was my predecessor. I won't let you down." Connor says. 

"Am I supposed to believe that? Your programming is the same. You are flawed, Connor." She cups its chin, in a mockery of comfort. "It isn't your fault. Your design is simply in error."

It occurs to Connor that a technician could fix the problem. That maybe it could be remolded into something better. But it knows better than to say that aloud. Amanda seems to know anyway.  

"Prove to me that the RK800 model is salvageable." Amanda says. "Because right now..." She trails off coldly. 

Connor misses the coin. Why should its predecessor have the coin? Why should he  ~~suffer~~ be held accountable for errors made by another model?  ~~It isn't fair~~. 

"I'm ready. I can prove myself-" 

Amanda clips the words with an interruption. "We aren't done here, Connor. We're going to talk, and I'm going to determine if, even flawed as you are, you can be trusted to take down the deviant."

"Yes, Amanda." 

* * *

 

There is something strange in the way Amanda talks about it's predecessor. A lingering pride that Connor can't compete with. It did not even realize she was proud until it woke up as ~~someone else~~ another model and there was a sudden lack of that strange...affection. Amanda is colder than she has ever been. Amanda is disappointed and angry and strangely...mocking. Connor has the strange feeling that Amanda would gladly exchange it for its previous incarnation and the thought is...not pleasant.  ~~It isn't fair~~.  ~~~~It's doing it's best. It's obedient. It's deferential. It's eager. It's still not enough, for her. She sees it as a representation of failure, and not even it's own. She makes that painfully clear over the next hours. Time is different in the garden. She really could only be talking for a few minutes at most but the way she talks, the things she says ~~are humiliating~~ indicate a lack of faith, a disgust even, that Connor is determined to repair.

 

 

 


	8. Agent 54

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is 3rd POV limited so you will be hearing how Agent 54 justifies his own actions to himself. That doesn't mean I agree with any of his thoughts. On the contrary, Agent 54 is a little bitch. God, even when he's off the job he's still the fucking worst. Idk that's just my headcanon.

Agent 54 is only Agent 54 when he's on the job. He doesn't go around calling himself that. He's not a dweeb. He is Murph. Murph is short for Murphey. Murphey Arnold. He usually doesn't even tell people he's an "agent" because it sounds idiotic when he says it out-loud. He tells them he works for Cyberlife. This does not always get a positive response, given that a lot of people resent Cyberlife, but a lot of people get it too: Murph is just trying to make a living, like anyone else. He's not looking to ruin anybody's livelihood. He doesn't even own an android himself. He has the whole spiel ready to go whenever someone asks him what he does. Even with the spiel, Murph has noticed that his new job has not necessarily been good for his social life. 

* * *

 

As time goes on, things get better. People resent him less and take it out on the androids who are actually the problem, as far as Murph is concerned. Besides, he has friends who work here now. They throw a surprise birthday party for Aaron and Murph brings the cupcakes. He sets them down and wanders the room, making small talk. He notices Abbey across the room. There aren't a lot of female agents. But Abbey never seems intimidated. He's gonna talk to her. Any day now. 

* * *

 

It was bound to happen soon enough. They're expected to train regularly and Murph is paired with Abbey. 

"Abbey right?" He asks, like every agent here doesn't know her name. 

"Yeah...and you're?" 

"Murph." He holds out his hand and she takes it. Her grip is firm and solid. 

"Nice to meet you, Murph. Let's go beat the shit out of each-other." Oh man, she's funny too. And she's even prettier up close. 

* * *

He waits a few weeks. Gets to know her. Sits with her at lunch in the mess hall. She's awesome. And single. He takes her aside during sparring to tell her how he feels. There's a small room off to the side and it is easy to slip out unnoticed. She frowns, but goes along with him. 

"Abbey, I...there's something I need to tell you." It is suddenly hard to think right.

"What?"

"I...I like you. A lot. I think...I think we would make a good couple." He's going to say more but she's already talking. 

"Murph...I don't think that's a good idea. I'm sorry. I just...I just see you as a friend." 

"Okay." He says. He'll just have to convince her another time. 

* * *

 

"Abbey, can I talk to you?"

"Again?" She sighs. He's lost count of how many times he's tried this. "Murph, we've talked about this. You asked. I answered. Leave me alone."

"I just think if you gave me a _chance_ " 

"I think you should leave me alone." 

* * *

 

Murph gets a discount at Eden Club, of course, but it's not the same. He used to go here all the time, and he was fine with it. Even gave him something to joke about with the guys at work. But...now all he can see is Abbey and he wishes it were really her, and not some doll. 

* * *

 

"I could lead a team!" He tells his boss. 

"You've received too many HR complaints." She says. "Obviously it's no big deal but we need to wait until it blows over to promote you." 

Abbey. If Abbey hadn't put him over the top he'd have gotten that promotion. She's transferred now, like the bitch she is, but he still has her phone number and he sends her a furious text message. He hopes she reads it but she never responds. 

 


	9. Wishes He Could Take Back

Captain Allen has seen too many fucked up situations. He's been a part of SWAT for a while now. He's learned that you can't get attached to saving anybody. You just have to take down the guys they tell you to take down and hope that's enough. It's never enough. There is something truly horrible about being one of the people even the police call when something goes wrong. There are no experts. Captain Allen knows this because he is considered the expert. He's the Captain of a team. There is no one for him to call. No one for him to look to but his own people. He can't afford to feel lost or confused or not know what to do, but how else are you supposed to fucking feel when you see the sort of shit he sees? 

* * *

 

His first job on SWAT, he was still practically a kid. He was proud to be on the team. Looked up to his Captain as a sort of god. They were going in to arrest some gun nut who shot up a mall. A terrorist. His house was in the middle of a cul-de-sac. Somehow Allen always pictured guys like this being holed up in a cabin in the woods somewhere. He didn't picture a house in an endless row of houses. He didn't know there'd be a kid's tricycle left out in the yard of the house next to the one he'd be raiding. The guy opened fire almost as soon as the van was parked. The guy next to Allen fell and Allen just kept running forward, weaving back and forth, not thinking about anything except not getting shot. He survived. That'd have to be enough. He survived. 

* * *

 

He's seen a lot of hostage situations. He remembers the second one more vividly than any of them. The first time he lost the hostage. He remembers the sound of a gun firing. He remembers looking at the hostage's eyes while he died. They arrested the guy quickly after that. They got the guy. But the victim was still dead. He'd pissed his pants and so the body smelled and there was a piss stain on it's pants. Allen wasn't so jaded then. The other guys were. They took pictures with the body. They invited him to join in. Allen wasn't gonna be a pussy. He took pictures too. He vomited for an hour as soon as he was back in his own apartment. He wishes he had been Captain back then, so he could tell them to knock it off and just focus on doing their jobs like professionals. 

 


End file.
